Annie Andrews wins South Carolina Senate seat, flipping it to Democrats
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Democratic pediatrician Annie Andrews narrowly defeated Republican Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina's 2026 Senate race, despite strong GOP investment and support from President Trump, giving Democrats a seat in a closely watched fight for Senate control.
Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina’s 2026 Senate race, according to CBS News projections, in a result that handed Democrats a pickup in a contest many Republicans believed should have stayed in GOP hands. Andrews, a 45-year-old pediatrician, centered her campaign on expanding health-care access, lowering costs and combating corruption in Washington, even as critics argued her message lacked the national-security seriousness South Carolinians expect from a senator. Graham, 62, had been appointed to fill the seat after her brother Lindsey Graham’s death and won a special primary to run for a full term.
Andrews attacked Graham’s limited experience, seizing on a comment the incumbent made during the primary that she was “not that informed on national security.” The race drew substantial Republican support, including a $5 million contribution from the Senate Leadership Fund in October and $827,000 from MAGA Inc., a super PAC controlled by Mr. Trump, who also campaigned for Graham. Despite those efforts, the GOP could not hold the seat.
Andrews secured the victory, delivering Democrats an unexpected pickup as they try to flip control of the Senate and shift the chamber further left.
"We need to ensure that every family can afford quality health care," Andrews said during her campaign.
"South Carolinians deserve a senator with a deep understanding of national security," Graham responded in a post-primary interview.